Bushiroad Games and Hakama released Progress Orders on April 10 for the PC (Steam) and Nintendo Switch. Created by former Marvelous dev and Rune Factory series creator Yoshifumi Hashimoto, the new JRPG puts you in the role of a guild master in a warm, fantasy world typical of Hashimoto’s games. However, due to its unusual concept and game system that comes off as a bit complex, Progress Orders has had some trouble communicating its strengths, leaving fans on the fence about whether the game is for them.
To get a clearer image, AUTOMATON talked to Yoshifumi Hashimoto, Hakama’s CEO and producer of Progress Orders, and Shogo Natsume, the game’s director at Bushiroad.
Acknowledging that Progress Orders’ concept is “difficult to put into words,” Hashimoto explains that he initially conceived the game under the basic premise of letting the player enjoy life in a fantasy guild from a slightly behind-the-scenes perspective, from the supporting role of a guild master (as opposed to becoming the adventurer, as is often the case in fantasy settings). “But as development progressed, we kept adding new elements to it, making it harder to explain.”
In terms of genre, “guild management RPG” probably describes the game the most accurately, but at the same time, Natsume and Hashimoto were hesitant to market it as a management sim, lest it come across as too hardcore. Progress Orders allows you to take care of various guild related tasks like managing workshops, crops and adventurers – but each feature – from dispatching parties to tending to your garden or fishing – is designed to be enjoyed casually. “It lets players choose which aspects to dive into, and I think that freedom is a defining characteristic of the game.” Although it has many parallel activities, the speed of the game’s pace can be adjusted to the player’s preference.
According to Hashimoto, Progress Orders’ core is the theme of “living in a guild.” What players do within that setting is entirely up to them.
As for what the game actually lets you do, “the main gameplay breaks down into three categories: managing parties, managing the guild facilities, and building relationships (including romance). You level up parties, manage equipment, and upgrade guild facilities to strengthen your team, which helps with dungeon exploration.”
Dungeons are progressed automatically, but you get to step in during enemy encounters and participate in strategic combat using the Reading Command battle system, where you input commands up to three turns ahead.
As the creator of Rune Factory and producer of many Story of Seasons titles, Hashimoto is aware of what kind of games his fans expect from him. Progress Orders will, according to the creator, satisfy a big chunk of these expectations, especially for those who enjoy cozy Hashimoto-esque fantasy worlds. However, it will also explore new grounds, as Hashimoto’s goal was to innovate upon what he’s already done before and offer something fresh.
Concluding with a message to fans, Hashimoto comments, “You send adventurers out to dungeons, hang out with your partners at the guild, help returning parties if they run into trouble… It’s a game where you can do anything guild-related! It might seem complicated at first glance, but I like to think of it as a kid’s set meal that offers lots of different little dishes – it’s fun and easy to enjoy. If you’ve ever wanted to live in a fantasy world, I hope you’ll give Progress Orders a try.”
Progress Orders is out now for the PC (Steam) and Nintendo Switch.
